The HoJo Plan since the end of last season was to get David Wright to attack the baseball, especially on the outer half of the plate. Don’t let the ball travel too deep like Wright did last season, and don’t try to just flip it to right field.

Take a monster cut. Go big or go home.

Wright did just that in his first at-bat of 2010 and already is one-fifth of the way to his 2009 Citi Field home run total. Wright lashed a Josh Johnson fastball down the right-field line and along the foul pole for a two-run homer in the Mets’ 7-1 Opening Day win over the bumbling Marlins.

“He’s stronger and smarter; instead of hitting it in Death Valley, he hit it into that porch,” said shortstop Alex Cora with a smile.

If Wright continues to take that same approach at the plate, you might want to call that the Wright Pole. The home run traveled 345 feet. Quickly. There aren’t many places in Citi Field where you can hit the ball 345 feet and stroll around the bases. That’s the best way to go in this massive ballpark.

The Mets did all the little things right but it was the big home run by Wright, who rebuilt his swing and his body this winter. Howard Johnson said at the Mets’ mini-camp in January that Wright was well on his way to a new swing with more power.

Walk around the circular clubhouse and all the Mets were saying how big that home run was for both Wright and the team. There was plenty of time to check in with his teammates because Wright did not make it back to his locker until nearly every other Met was long gone.

Where was he? He was working out. Wright knows what the story is around here. If you don’t make adjustments and win, this town will eat you alive, even if you are D-Wright.

“This really shows his character,” Johnson said. “The guy’s had great numbers his whole career until last year. Most guys would write it off as ‘It was one of those years.’ But he was willing to go back to the drawing board and make some changes and become better because of that. That’s the difference in David Wright.”

“HoJo, in my opinion, is the best hitting coach in the game,” Wright said. “I owe a lot to that man. Last year, the day after the season ended, it was a rebuilding mode. It wasn’t necessarily starting from nothing, it was tinkering with a few things.”

Mostly, it was getting the foot down early and hitting the ball out in front of the plate while swinging with a vengeance.

“Any time you put work in, it’s going to help,” Wright said. “But I’m not expecting to go out there and hit a home run each game from here on out because of the work I put in during the winter.”

I asked if he was expecting to hit more than 10 home runs.

“We’ll see,” Wright answered. “I’m expecting to get more than 70-some wins we had last year, that’s the most important thing.”

He’s right about that.

When someone asked what the mood of the Mets fan is, Wright said, “Hopefully excited. We’re 1-0, we’re on pace for 162, so . . .”

Even though Wright downplayed the importance of home runs, he must hit his fair share for this team to succeed, at least 25. When the situation is right, he is going to have to go for it.

“When I get ahead of the count I want to be able to drive the ball,” Wright said.

“I was ahead in the count 1-0. That’s more of a mindset that HoJo, Jerry (Manuel) really wanted to instill in me, you get ahead in the count, let it fly.”

It flew. Wright knows this is just the beginning, but yesterday the HoJo Plan worked to perfection.